Block Party has deep impact

This evening I attended one of the many Night Out events, a Block Party Picnic at 2800 11th Avenue. While it is an annual community event, this year’s block party held special significance as the community remembered their neighbor, Pam Waechter, who was killed in the shooting at Seattle’s Jewish Federation last summer.

In some ways, the block party was not unique: families chatting in the street, barbeques grilling, and kids drawing with sidewalk chalk.

But there was also a dedication ceremony. In honor of Pam, the local community pooled together their time and money to clean up a traffic circle and place a commemorative stone on Armour and 11th Avenue. The traffic circle now features two tall trees that frame the memorial stone. There are also many small, diverse shrubs, including one from Pam’s own yard. While I admired the tidy landscaping a light breeze carried the scent of the circle’s lavender bush, which I suspect Pam’s neighbors will enjoy.

“The commemorative stone has dog prints on it, because Pam would always walk her dogs up and down the street. So, to me, it means that she’s still a part of out neighborhood, and that her presence is still here,” said Cathy Michalec, a member of the Planning Committee.

The block party was another opportunity for this neighborhood to mourn their loss. Pam’s death came just a few days before the picnic last year. During the event, her family was still at home sitting Shiv’ah, the Jewish tradition in which the family of the deceased mourns at home for a week.

The mood tonight was cheerful, and it was clear that the past year has given Pam’s friend and family some time to heal.

“This is all about celebrating the life of a friend and a neighbor, and bringing the community together. It’s just so easy, living in the city, to go your own separate way instead of taking the time to know your neighbors,” said Charlotte Oakes, a next-door neighbor and close friend of Pam’s.

The dedication ceremony included a heartfelt speech from Rabbi Ted Falcon, who noted how appropriate the memorial is.

“What strikes me is that the symbol says slow down and pay attention to the beauty of friendship and family and life,” Falcon said.

Messages regarding the importance of neighborhoods and recognizing the loved ones in our lives seemed to resonate well with many attendees, myself included. I will be making a few phone calls this evening to friends I am usually to busy too check up on.

Looking back on the whole evening, my conversation with Charlotte stands out the most. As she spoke of her friend, the love and sorrow she felt gave me an emotional connection to the story.

“Pam was fun, she was funny, she was active, she was athletic, and she was loving. She was all of those things,” After describing Pam, Charlotte paused. Choked up, and holding back tears, she said, “I just, um, I miss her.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: For those with cameras at the block party on Queen Anne or any of the others, please post your photos here: www.myseattlepix.com